Labatt Blue U.P. Pond Hockey Championship
Welcome to St. Ignace, in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, home of one of the largest pond hockey tournaments in North America, and the largest tournament in Michigan.
The Labatt Blue UP Pond Hockey Championship is normally played on the wild ice of Moran Bay, part of Lake Huron. However, for 2012, due to lack of sufficient ice on Moran Bay, we have had to move the location of the tournament. The new location is on Boulevard Drive in St. Ignace. To get to this location, if heading north from the Mackinac Bridge, take exit 344B and you will loop around and be heading west on US-2. Once you are on US-2, after about a quarter-mile, get into the left turn lane, and turn left at the Quality Inn onto Boulevard Drive. Follow signs on Boulevard Drive until you arrive at the pond hockey site, on Lake Michigan!
Our tournament is the only one in Michigan where the 'pond' is actually one of the Great Lakes!
Once again, Kewadin Casinos will be sponsoring the appearance of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni team for an exhibition game on Friday, February 17, 2012, at 7:00 p.m., at the Little Bear East Ice Arena, 275 Marquette Street in St. Ignace. This game is always great fun to watch, and enjoyed by everyone who attends! Concessions will be available throughout the game.
Thanks to Kewadin Casinos and the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association!
Tickets are now on sale for $10 each. Tickets can be purchased at the St. Ignace Chamber of Commerce, 560 N. State St., phone: 800-970-8717 and St. Ignace Visitors Bureau, 6 Spring St., Suite 100, phone: 800-338-6660.
Aerial Photo Purchase Info
Here's the info you've been waiting for on getting your very own copy of the spectacular aerial photo of the pond hockey rinks!
8" x 12" - $20
12" x 18" - $30
16" x 24" - $50
20" x 30" - $65
24" x 36" - $80
Prices include Michigan 6% sales tax and Priority Mail or 1st Class Mail shipping.
Dave Kunze
Dave Kunze Photography
N2982 Pte Aux Chenes Rd.
Saint Ignace, MI 49781
231-420-0844 or 906-643-9280
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We would like extend a huge THANK YOU!! to Labatt Blue and Kewadin Casinos for their sponsorship support, without which this tournament could not happen.
The Bear Radio has also been very generous in their support of our tournament by providing us with radio advertising to promote this event.
Division winners - take note!
We have just developed a 'Championship Cup Gallery of Fame'. Take photos of "Champ" (aka Championship Cup) wherever you go. Email them to us. We will post them with other photos in our gallery of fame. Some team members are so attached to Champ that they take it wherever they go, and take photos in a vacation or educational setting. Click here to see our first inductees into our Championship Cup Gallery of Fame!
Are you a player looking for a team? Or are you a team looking for a player to fill your roster? If so, send us an email, and we will put you in touch with each other!
Format: 4 on 4 hockey with NO GOALIES on twenty-seven 75 'x 150' outside rinks with snow bank boards played on the 'wild ice' of Lake Huron, overlooking Mackinac Island.
Here's some trivia for you . . .
- This is the only 'pond' hockey tournament where the 'pond' is actually a Great Lake!
- Did you know that Michigan is the only state that has four of the five Great Lakes (Michigan, Huron, Superior and Erie) bordering it?
- The Mighty Mackinac Bridge is the dividing line between Lakes Michigan and Huron?
Thursday
- Bus Pub Crawl from 5:00 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. thru St. Ignace.
Friday afternoon/evening
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Games begin ~ 11:00 a.m. and end ~ 5:00 p.m.
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Bus Pub Crawl from ~12:00 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. thru St. Ignace.
Saturday all day/evening
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Games begin at 9:00 a.m. and continue until 6:00 p.m.
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Bus Pub Crawl from ~12:00 p.m. - 2:30 a.m. thru St. Ignace
Sunday morning - Finals, Award presentations.
Back to TopMotel/Hotel/Cabin/Cottage Availability
For motel/hotel availability, see list below (motels that are full are marked as 'full').
- Bear Cove Inn - 906-643-8910 (full)
- Birchwood Motel - 906-984-2184 (full)
- Boardwalk Inn - 800-254-5408 (full)
- Budget Host Inn & Suites - 800-872-7057 (full)
- Colonial House Inn - 906-643-6900
- Days Inn Lakefront & Suites - 800-732-9746 (full)
- Driftwood Motel - 906-643-7744 (full)
- Evergreen Motel - 216-408-3128 (cell phone)
- Kewadin Shores Casino Hotel - 800-539-2346
- Northernaire Motel - 888-797-0415 (full)
- Pines Motel - 877-378-0017
- Quality Inn-St. Ignace - 800-906-4656
- Super 8 Motel - 800-460-7661
- Voyager Inn - 877-643-1530
For cabin/cottage rental information, see below:
- Eagle's Nest Cottage, Moran, Michigan (approx. 12 miles from hockey site), wendykusler@mac.com, 517-881-7311
- Mackinac Properties Vacation Rentals, office in St. Ignace, info@mackinacproperties.com, 906-643-9242
As of January 27, 2012, this is the space we have left:
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Men's 21 and older (full)
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Men's 30 and over (full)
- Men's 40 and over (full)
- Men's 50 and over (1 more spot)
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Women's Division (full)
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Novice (full)
All players must be 21 or older before the championship.
All teams are guaranteed to play at least 3 games.
Prizes: Division winners will receive Labatt's sports gear and a hardwood championship cup.
The Labatt Blue U.P. Pond Hockey Championship is open to the first 160 teams registered.
Cost: $325 (proceeds benefit St. Ignace Hockey Association)
We will also have a rink available for open skating - so the kids will have something to do while you're playing!
For information on the Labatt Blue UP Pond Hockey Championship, call 800-338-6660, email - info@stignace.com.
Back to TopSt. Ignace Events Committee appreciates all your comments and suggestions. If you would like to help us improve on this growing event, please send comments (in the email body--no attachments will be accepted) to us at info@stignace.com. Please use the phrase "U.P. Pond Hockey" in the subject line.
NOTICE: There will be no overnight RV parking on the pond hockey site due to City of St. Ignace regulations.
Cancellation Policy: If the championship is cancelled a full refund of team registration fee will be given; if less than 50% of the games can be played a partial refund of team registration fee will be given; if more than 50% of the games can be played no refund of team registration fees will be given.
Click an image to enlarge
